Method of extracting candelilla wax



May 28, 1929.

J. T. GARCIA METHOD OF EXTRACTING CANDELILLA WAX Filed Sept. 15. 1925 xNvE NToR 6421M 31/! ATTORNEYS Patented May 28, 1929.

PATENtioFFicE.

This invention aimstoprovide a novel apparatus and method forextracting cande- 'lilla wax in'snch manner as to reduce. to a minimum the bulk of the material that must be carried through the processand yet be. highly etl'cetive in the recovery of the wax content from the plant.

A further object resides in the provision of a method and apparatus of this eharzwter which is reliable and etlicient in operation and adapted to be. carried out at a comparatively slight expense by means of iustrumentalities ordinarily available.

Other objects and ad vantages reside in certain novel features which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed outin the appended claim forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure. 1 is a dia rannnatic view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating the method and the apparatus employed for carrying out the method,

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section showing the decortieating machine employed as a unit of the apparatus, and

Figure 3 is a detail view of the adjustable bearing construction of the crusher mounted in the hopper of the decorticator.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the crushers mounted in the hoppers of the dccorticator and in which the first step of the method is carried out. Each crusher comprises frame. members 2 in which a series of pairs of co-acting'crushing rolls are rotatably mounted, one pair of. rolls being designated at; 3 and the other pair of rolls being designated at 4. The first pair of rolls, that is the rolls 3, are driven at a slow rate of speed, preferably at. the rate of one hundred and sixty revolutions per minute while the rolls 4 arepret'erably driven at a speed of four hundred revolutlons per minute. The members of each pair of rolls have intermeshin g corrugations. One member of each pair of rolls is rotatably mounted in fixed bearings while the other member of each pair is rotatably mounted inslidable bearings urged by means of coil springs toward the fixed bearings so that the rolls are yieldably held in co-operatin'g relation.

The candelilla plant is passed through the rolls of the crusher and is thoroughly broken up so as to be prepared for the next step of the method which occurs in the decorticating machine, designated generally at 10. The

-- JosEcTREvmo GARCIA, or raana's, MEXICO. airman 6F. E x'rRAcTINs CAND LIL'LA WAX. j

itch- .iizt. ltpp lication filcd.September- 15,1925, S cria1 1 Io 56,507, and in Mexico October 30, 1924.

decorticating machine comprises a suitable frame 11 on which a fixed conical casing 12 is mounted. The casing 12 has an upperimperforate section 13 and a lower reticulated section constituted of wire mesh or the like. A dust and wax receiving chamber 11 is positioned below the reticulated section of the casing. An inner shell 16 of conical form and somewhat smaller than the outer shell is tixed on a shaft l'r'cxtending axially through the outer shell whereby the inner shell rotates within the outer shell. A motor and suitable gearing is provided for driving the shaft. 17. The inner and outer shells have co-acting dccorticating teeth 18 and 19, respectively, the teeth 18 projecting radially outward from the inner shell and'the teeth 19 projecting radially inward from the easing or outer shell. The inaterial which has been crushed in the crusher is delivered from the hoppers 2-2 which enclose the crushers into the space between the co-acting shells of the derorticator. In the decorticator the wax and dust are separated from the fiber of the plantdue to the tearing and beating action of the co-acting teeth. This action will be better appreciated when it is borne in mind thatthe inner shell rotatcs at a speed of from three hundred to four hundred revolutions per minute. The wax and non-waxy matter in finely divided form are carried through the reticulated lower section l3 into the chamber 14 and the fiber is carried out through the discharge opening provided therefor at the large end of the machine.

The wax .and finely divided non-waxy matter are taken from the chamber 14. at suitable intervals and deposited in a vat 26 wherein the wax and finely divided non waxy matter are mixed with hot water and subjected to the action of steam in the well known manner for separating the waxy matter from the non-waxy matter. The method of separating the waxy matter from the nonwaxy matter is well known in the art and since it forms no part of the present'invention, need not. he further explained. Since the melting point of the wax is between and 80 F. the heat; may approximate such a temperature or higher. WVhen' water is employed it is brought to the boiling point as is well known.

The chamber 14 is provided with suitable doors 30 to provide a closed chamber except when the finely divided non-waxy matter and wax taken therefrom and carried tothe we; 3

' Oneofthe principal features of the invention resides in the manner in which the bulk of the plant is separated from'the wax-bearing content prior to the steps taken to recover the wax. In other words instead of carrying the whole bulk of the plant into'the vat and handling this bulk throughout the rebovery process the bulk is eliminated in the decortlcator andonly the wax and finely divided non-waxy matter remain to behandled.

I claim In the pre-treatment of the candelilla plant preparatory to the extraction of wax there- 15 from, the steps which comprise crushing said plant end'thereafter subjecting'the crushed plant to a. tearing and beating action .wherebyj wax and non-Waxy matter in finely divided form are separated from the fibers of the 20 plant, and screening the finely divided wax and non -wzixy matter from the fibers.

JOSE TREVINQ GARCIA. 

